Danbury is going to spend $75,000 on a new flagpole.  The City Council approved the funding at their meeting last week.  The appropriation is being bolstered by a $25,000 donation from a local bank.  The flagpole at the corner of West and Main Streets would be replaced.  The City funding comes from the contingency account.  Some of the money will be used to redesign the park where the current flag flies.  Mayor Mark Boughton says the new flagpole and the park will serve as a focal point for the City.  Danbury officials intent to hold a ribbon cutting next July 4th.

Boughton says the current flagpole is rusted out and some of the bolts are rusted.  He says it's in rough shape.  He noted that the new flagpole will be taller than the current one.  He is open to negotiation with the Public Works Department and City Planner, but he wants it to be 'huge'.

The Public Works Department has done some repairs to the flagpole in the recent past.

Councilman Tom Saadi pointed out that 2017 will be the 80th anniversary of when the Grand Army of the Republic dedicated the current flagpole.  Plans are to also clean up the monument in the park and sandblast it so it looks like it did when it was dedicated.  Boughton says a large community event will be planned for the dedication, similar to what was done in 1937.

Boughton says other donations will be presented to the City Council for approval, including one from a company which has volunteered to do the lighting.  Another has offered the City equipment to use to dig down for the flagpole installation.  Boughton called it a real community project.